I rely quite heavily on my Thermos. And it’s not just any, run-of-the-mill thermos, or one that you pick up on the clearance rack at K-Mart. Oh no, this baby is one fine quality piece of work. My mom gave it to me the Christmas before my Freshman year of college, and was so excited about it – she even got my name engraved on it. At the time, I didn’t really see the point. I didn’t drink coffee, I rarely drank cocoa, and honestly, who eats soup out of a thermos anymore? Eespecially when I could just go to the school cafeteria and get some there? I thanked her for it, and then used it maybe once my freshman year.
Then I went to Europe, and my whole Thermos-using perspective changed.
In Europe, I was living on little sleep, and everyone drinks coffee. I quickly learned that over there, a Diet Coke (excuse me, Coke Light) just wasn’t gonna cut it. I was already used to drinking sugary coffee drinks like Mocha’s and Frapaccino’s, but black coffee? Fuhgetaboutit. But when you’re in a strange country, staying at a hostel for 16 Euros/night, and the free breakfast they serve is a croissant and a cup of espresso, it’s amazing what you can choke down. And you know, to my utter amazement, I learned to love coffee. Not just love, but have a strong dependency on. Others have learned to recognize my dependency, too. Whenever I go home to visit, my lovely mother makes sure that there is a bottle of Sugar-Free French Vanilla Coffee Mate in the fridge and ready to go for when I stumble into the kitchen in the mornings.
Over the past 2 years, I’ve reached a minimum amount of coffee that I need to have in a day (or a certain amount of caffeine) in order to remain headache-free. I have it measured out perfectly. One large travel mug of coffee, and one Thermos full of coffee, which gives me about an additional travelmug and a half. I don’t like making coffee at work, and I refuse to pay the $3 – something per day to buy a coffee, so that Thermos remains vital to the outcome of my day. I get a sort of relaxing satisfaction when I go to open my Thermos, hear the popping of the leak-proof seal, and see that wonderful little stream of steam billowing out of the opening. I pour it into my mug, knowing that it’s just as hot as when I pulled it off the coffee maker two hours before. And as I sit with my travel mug in my hands, and my Thermos down by my feet, I am content with the knowledge that my caffeine intake has been fulfilled for the day, and that the sun will shine a little brighter for the rest of the day.
Not that I can see that shining sun – my office is windowless. But I know it’s there!
Then I went to Europe, and my whole Thermos-using perspective changed.
In Europe, I was living on little sleep, and everyone drinks coffee. I quickly learned that over there, a Diet Coke (excuse me, Coke Light) just wasn’t gonna cut it. I was already used to drinking sugary coffee drinks like Mocha’s and Frapaccino’s, but black coffee? Fuhgetaboutit. But when you’re in a strange country, staying at a hostel for 16 Euros/night, and the free breakfast they serve is a croissant and a cup of espresso, it’s amazing what you can choke down. And you know, to my utter amazement, I learned to love coffee. Not just love, but have a strong dependency on. Others have learned to recognize my dependency, too. Whenever I go home to visit, my lovely mother makes sure that there is a bottle of Sugar-Free French Vanilla Coffee Mate in the fridge and ready to go for when I stumble into the kitchen in the mornings.
Over the past 2 years, I’ve reached a minimum amount of coffee that I need to have in a day (or a certain amount of caffeine) in order to remain headache-free. I have it measured out perfectly. One large travel mug of coffee, and one Thermos full of coffee, which gives me about an additional travelmug and a half. I don’t like making coffee at work, and I refuse to pay the $3 – something per day to buy a coffee, so that Thermos remains vital to the outcome of my day. I get a sort of relaxing satisfaction when I go to open my Thermos, hear the popping of the leak-proof seal, and see that wonderful little stream of steam billowing out of the opening. I pour it into my mug, knowing that it’s just as hot as when I pulled it off the coffee maker two hours before. And as I sit with my travel mug in my hands, and my Thermos down by my feet, I am content with the knowledge that my caffeine intake has been fulfilled for the day, and that the sun will shine a little brighter for the rest of the day.
Not that I can see that shining sun – my office is windowless. But I know it’s there!
